Freight can become complicated surprisingly quickly as a business grows.
A company that once managed a small number of deliveries through one carrier may eventually find itself comparing rates across multiple providers, chasing shipment updates, reconciling freight invoices and manually transferring information between systems.
For Melbourne businesses dealing with those challenges, Freight Systems is one name worth knowing.
Established in 1995, Freight Systems is an Australian freight management software and logistics services company headquartered in Dandenong South, Victoria, with an additional office in Lane Cove West, New South Wales.
The business combines its own freight management technology with logistics services designed to help Australian companies organise and manage the movement of goods.
What does Freight Systems offer?
Freight Systems provides both technology and hands-on logistics support.
Its proprietary freight management platform, Cario, is designed to bring freight activity into one system. Businesses can use the platform to compare carrier rates, create bookings, print freight labels, track shipments, capture proof of delivery and reconcile freight invoices.
The system also provides freight reporting, analytics and carbon usage information.
For businesses that do not want to manage every freight decision themselves, Freight Systems also provides logistics services including:
- freight brokerage
- interstate and domestic transport
- retail transport
- air freight
- supply chain management
- urgent and same-day freight
- oversized and heavy freight
- refrigerated and temperature-sensitive freight
- dangerous goods transport.
According to Freight Systems, its network extends across all major Australian states and territories and includes relationships with more than 280 carriers.
Why Freight Systems may be relevant to Melbourne businesses
Melbourne is a major centre for manufacturing, retail, distribution, e-commerce and warehousing, so freight management can be an important operational issue for businesses across the city.
Freight Systems’ Dandenong South headquarters also places the company within one of Melbourne’s major industrial areas.
The service may be particularly relevant to businesses that have reached the point where freight is becoming difficult to coordinate manually.
That might include a business that is:
- spending too much time checking individual carrier websites
- using several carriers without one central management system
- struggling to give customers clear shipment updates
- manually entering freight data into multiple platforms
- dealing with discrepancies between freight quotes and invoices
- looking for specialist freight options that one carrier cannot provide
- trying to gain clearer reporting on freight costs and performance.
Freight Systems approaches these issues through a combination of software automation, carrier access and logistics support rather than relying on one transport provider alone.
Freight Systems’ Cario freight management software
A major part of the Freight Systems offering is its Cario freight management platform.
Cario can connect with business systems including SAP, Oracle NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365, MYOB, Pronto, Neto, Magento, Shopify and WooCommerce.
For a business already handling orders through an ERP, e-commerce platform or other operational system, this type of integration may help reduce duplicate data entry.
The platform can also compare rates across multiple carriers and freight categories, including parcels, pallets, air freight, refrigerated transport, dangerous goods and oversized cargo.
Other functions include automated bookings, label generation, shipment tracking, proof-of-delivery capture and freight invoice reconciliation.
Businesses considering the software should still discuss their existing systems, freight volumes and integration requirements directly with Freight Systems to confirm what is suitable for their setup.
More than freight software
Not every business wants to manage freight internally, even with better software.
Freight Systems also operates a freight brokerage and logistics service for businesses that want more direct assistance with transport arrangements.
Its stated client base spans e-commerce, manufacturing, retail, healthcare, energy and distribution, with freight requirements ranging from individual cartons through to pallets and specialist consignments.
This means businesses can investigate Freight Systems from two different directions: as a technology platform for managing their own carrier relationships, or as a provider that can take a more active role in organising freight.
That flexibility may be useful for companies whose logistics needs are changing as they grow.
Scale, carrier access and support
Freight Systems states that more than 20,000 Australian businesses use its services and that its platform processes a new consignment approximately every 2.8 seconds.
Its carrier network includes more than 280 providers.
The company also states that it provides 24/7 customer support, dedicated account management and ongoing software updates.
For businesses comparing freight management providers, those points may be worth investigating alongside practical considerations such as pricing, implementation requirements, carrier coverage, contract terms and the level of day-to-day support included.
Freight Systems also reports a 4.9 out of 5 Google rating based on 99 reviews associated with its related Freight People brand. As with any review information, readers may wish to check the current rating and review details directly before relying on them.
Who might consider Freight Systems?
Freight Systems may be relevant to a fairly broad range of Australian businesses.
That includes e-commerce companies sending increasing numbers of orders, manufacturers moving raw materials and finished products, retailers replenishing stock across different locations and SMEs seeking access to multiple freight carriers without building a large internal logistics team.
Larger companies and freight forwarders may also investigate Cario as a way to consolidate carrier management, freight reporting and cost control.
The service can also accommodate more specialised freight categories, including dangerous goods, refrigerated consignments, oversized items and urgent deliveries.
The important question is not simply whether Freight Systems can move freight, but whether its particular combination of software, carriers and service suits the way your business operates.
What to check before choosing a freight management provider
Melbourne Guide is intended to help readers begin their research rather than make a final business decision for them.
If you are considering Freight Systems or another freight management provider, it is worth discussing the details that will materially affect your operation.
Ask about the carriers available for the routes you use most often, how pricing is structured, what integrations are available for your existing systems and what level of support is included.
You may also want to confirm:
- setup and implementation requirements
- software fees and freight charges
- contract or cancellation terms
- service coverage for regional or interstate deliveries
- specialist freight capabilities
- shipment tracking functionality
- reporting and invoice reconciliation features
- how freight claims and insurance are handled
- support arrangements outside normal business hours.
Freight insurance or indemnity details were not confirmed in the information supplied to Melbourne Guide, so businesses should ask Freight Systems directly about the cover available for their particular consignments.
Where is Freight Systems located?
Freight Systems’ Melbourne headquarters is at:
11–15 Smeaton Avenue, Dandenong South VIC 3165
The business also operates from:
Unit 10, 1 Chaplin Drive, Lane Cove West NSW 2066
Its freight network operates across Australia rather than being limited to Melbourne.
Businesses can contact Freight Systems on 1300 822 746 or visit the freightsystems.com.au website to enquire or request a software demonstration.
